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Justin Bieber's mother reflects on life of abuse

Pattie Mallette, mother of pop music star Justin Bieber, signs autographs between worship services Sunday at South Biscayne Church in North Port. Mallette told the congregations about how her faith got her through numerous financial and emotional hardships.

Published: Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 4:40 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 4:40 p.m.

NORTH PORT - As the mother of pop music sensation Justin Bieber, Pattie Mallette knows how it feels to have her family experience top-of-the-world success.

As a woman with a troubled past of abuse and drug addiction, she also knows how it feels to live every day without self-esteem, without hope and especially without faith.

On Sunday, at two worship services at South Biscayne Church in North Port, each with capacity crowds of about 800, Mallette preferred to talk not about her son's skyrocketing show biz career but instead about the darkness and despair that once consumed her.

The title of Mallette's new autobiography, "Nowhere But Up," is essentially her story's bottom line.

Not until she hit bottom, hospitalized after a suicide attempt, did she agree with a youth counselor that her life had to change direction.

"My parents split when I was two," said Mallette, who grew up in Canada. "There was an abandonment for me."

As a child, "I felt I was not good enough for him to stay... I did not have a father to say, 'You're amazing,' 'You're a princess,' all those things a little girl need to hear from her dad."

Her mother became emotionally disconnected from her, essentially leaving her parentless, Mallette remembered.

At 5, she became a victim of sexual abuse that would last for several years.

"I was so filled with shame and confusion."

In her teen years, she relied on drugs and alcohol "to mask my pain... There were times when I was really struggling to find hope."

She frequented a youth center, where she would get kicked out for selling drugs. Yet the center's director "would always forgive me" and welcome her back. "He would talk to me about God."

At 17, while she was hospitalized after a suicide attempt, he brought her a rose and told her, "This is how God sees you."

"There is no way I'm a rose," Mallette remembered thinking. "I felt really dirty and filthy."

She dared God to prove her life had meaning and purpose. Suddenly, while in that hospital bed, "all of a sudden this presence came over me."

She became a believer.

"My faith journey — it was not all neat and tidy and tied in a bow," Mallette said.

She continued to experience setbacks, make mistakes.

Pregnant, the teen moved into a home for unwed mothers.

"There was a lot of pressure from people close to me to have an abortion," Mallette said. "It just wasn't an option for me."

By then, Mallette had rededicated her life as a Christian.

Mallette and her son, Justin, lived for years in public housing. Even though she often worked two or three jobs, she constantly worried about how they would get by.

Yet small miracles kept them going, such as the unexpected delivery of a box of food or a neighbor's paying for a year of child care for Justin so she could return to high school and at last earn her diploma.

Five years ago, after she showcased her son's talents on the Internet, her family set on a new upward course of seemingly unlimited possibilities.

Still, Mallette wants to look back — if only to give others reason to believe they can change their lives, too.

<p><em>NORTH PORT</em> - As the mother of pop music sensation Justin Bieber, Pattie Mallette knows how it feels to have her family experience top-of-the-world success.</p><p>As a woman with a troubled past of abuse and drug addiction, she also knows how it feels to live every day without self-esteem, without hope and especially without faith.</p><p>On Sunday, at two worship services at South Biscayne Church in North Port, each with capacity crowds of about 800, Mallette preferred to talk not about her son's skyrocketing show biz career but instead about the darkness and despair that once consumed her.</p><p>The title of Mallette's new autobiography, "Nowhere But Up," is essentially her story's bottom line.</p><p>Not until she hit bottom, hospitalized after a suicide attempt, did she agree with a youth counselor that her life had to change direction.</p><p>"My parents split when I was two," said Mallette, who grew up in Canada. "There was an abandonment for me."</p><p>As a child, "I felt I was not good enough for him to stay... I did not have a father to say, 'You're amazing,' 'You're a princess,' all those things a little girl need to hear from her dad."</p><p>Her mother became emotionally disconnected from her, essentially leaving her parentless, Mallette remembered.</p><p>At 5, she became a victim of sexual abuse that would last for several years.</p><p>"I was so filled with shame and confusion."</p><p>In her teen years, she relied on drugs and alcohol "to mask my pain... There were times when I was really struggling to find hope."</p><p>She frequented a youth center, where she would get kicked out for selling drugs. Yet the center's director "would always forgive me" and welcome her back. "He would talk to me about God."</p><p>At 17, while she was hospitalized after a suicide attempt, he brought her a rose and told her, "This is how God sees you."</p><p>"There is no way I'm a rose," Mallette remembered thinking. "I felt really dirty and filthy."</p><p>She dared God to prove her life had meaning and purpose. Suddenly, while in that hospital bed, "all of a sudden this presence came over me."</p><p>She became a believer.</p><p>"My faith journey — it was not all neat and tidy and tied in a bow," Mallette said.</p><p>She continued to experience setbacks, make mistakes.</p><p>Pregnant, the teen moved into a home for unwed mothers.</p><p>"There was a lot of pressure from people close to me to have an abortion," Mallette said. "It just wasn't an option for me."</p><p>By then, Mallette had rededicated her life as a Christian.</p><p>Mallette and her son, Justin, lived for years in public housing. Even though she often worked two or three jobs, she constantly worried about how they would get by.</p><p>Yet small miracles kept them going, such as the unexpected delivery of a box of food or a neighbor's paying for a year of child care for Justin so she could return to high school and at last earn her diploma.</p><p>Five years ago, after she showcased her son's talents on the Internet, her family set on a new upward course of seemingly unlimited possibilities.</p><p>Still, Mallette wants to look back — if only to give others reason to believe they can change their lives, too.</p><p>"If God can do it for me, He can do it for you, too."</p>